June 12, 2026

The President’s Message is published in the MHA Weekly News Report, a member-only publication of the Montana Hospital Association. To subscribe, click here.

One of the topics I hear about most frequently from our members is workforce. Whether you’re a Critical Access Hospital CEO, clinic administrator, nursing leader, or board member, finding and retaining qualified healthcare professionals remains one of the greatest challenges facing Montana’s healthcare system.

While there is no single solution to our workforce shortage, one thing is clear: if we want a stronger healthcare workforce tomorrow, we must invest in students today.

This summer, the North Central and South Central Montana Area Health Education Centers (MT AHECs) housed in the MHA’s Montana Health Research and Education Foundation (MHREF) will host several healthcare career pathway programs designed to introduce Montana students to healthcare careers and strengthen the state’s future workforce pipeline.

Together, these programs will engage more than 70 high school students from rural, frontier, and underserved communities across Montana.

MedStart introduces students to a broad range of healthcare careers through hands-on learning, career exploration activities, and exposure to postsecondary education pathways. During a week-long camp, participants gain a deeper understanding of healthcare professions and educational pathways while exploring opportunities available throughout Montana’s healthcare system.

Heads Up Camp focuses on behavioral health careers and is designed to help address Montana’s need for mental and behavioral health professionals. Through interactive learning experiences, presentations by practicing professionals, and facility tours, students gain exposure to the diverse roles within Montana’s behavioral health system and learn about the education, training, and licensure pathways required to enter the field.

ADEA Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers introduces students to careers in dentistry, dental hygiene, dental assisting, and other oral health professions. Through hands-on activities and engagement with practicing professionals, students gain a firsthand understanding of the critical role oral healthcare plays in supporting the overall health and well-being of Montana communities.

These programs are about much more than career exploration. They are workforce development initiatives that align directly with Montana’s 406 Jobs Initiative and the Rural Health Transformation Program’s (RHTP) workforce goals. They help build awareness of healthcare careers and create opportunities for young people to envision a future serving the communities they call home.

For rural and frontier communities, these investments are especially important. We know that recruitment challenges are often greatest in the areas furthest from population centers.

I want to take a moment to thank the hospitals, health systems, clinics, and healthcare organizations that have sponsored students to attend these programs at no cost, and that have provided job shadowing or career exploration activities. Your investment removes financial barriers and (literally) opens doors for the next generation to discover the healthcare profession. Together, these efforts are helping create a locally grown workforce pipeline that will be critical to the future of healthcare in Montana.